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Burning the Old Man

I’ve been wonderfully occupied over the last several weeks. I’d rather say that than “busy.” Work was brisk enough through December that I’m able to enjoy a five-day (and counting) holiday. I’m using the time to do homework for a course I’m taking that should help me expand my business.

On the social side of things, I’ve joined a bowling club that puts no pressure on me — if I can make a game, I do, and if I can’t, I don’t. It’s tons of fun and I’ve met some wonderful people. A lovely couple from Regina had me over for Christmas dinner and then I went to their house for a New Year’s Eve party yesterday.

Me bowling the worst game of my life — it as around 11PM and I was basically sleep bowling!

I can’t remember the last time I was out for New Year’s, never mind a late as I was! A highlight was joining a group of their neighbours for setting off fire crackers and fireworks, as well as “burning the old man,” the effigy of the last year. It was all very sedate compared to New Year’s Eve in Amsterdam, but equally communal.

There’s a lot coming up in the next weeks. My cousin is coming to visit me for 10 days. I need to get cracking on getting health insurance before rates go up dramatically when I turn 40 in a few months. I’d like to get to work on acquiring my Yucatán driver’s license. And I’m planning a trip to Mazatlán that will likely be the second week of March. That’s not nearly as far away as it sounds!

What a difference to this time last year when I still didn’t know anyone, didn’t have a dog who was so happy to see me come home in the wee hours of the morning that she voluntarily cuddled with me for a bit before bed, and still had so many huge expenses ahead of me that there was almost nothing left for extras. As long as I can convince my landlady to renew my lease in September, 2019 is going to be smooooth sailing and I can continue to work on building my life here. It’s pretty amazing that I don’t have to do anything immigration-related (as long as I don’t move).

I’m really starting to feel settled, but not in a negative way like I’ve felt in the past at Haven, where feeling settled meant settling, accepting that an unacceptable situation really was the best I could do and more than I deserved. I have an incredible quality of life here and my standard of living keeps going up. I should be very close to debt-free again by the end of this year and that’s going to change things dramatically. But in the meantime, I have a beautiful home to enjoy, a challenging career, a loving dog, and new friends, all in a city that releases its secrets slowly enough to keep my nomad soul satisfied.

¡Feliz año!

14 thoughts on “Burning the Old Man”

  1. It’s very satisfying when everything falls in place isn’t it?
    You mentioned your health insurance going up, is that related to your turning forty or just generally? Our medical has dropped by 50% in BC so seventy five buckaroos rather than one fifty for the pair of us per month amd they are talking about reducing it to nil next year but adding basic dental to the mix which would be pretty spectacular.
    Anyway have a wonderful new year ahead.

  2. It’s good to read that life is going so well for you. I like for all my friends to be doing well.

  3. At your age it is nice to be feeling settled and to have a plan for your future as well as being financially secure. Few have the vision that you do and the determination to make it happen. I have a feeling that one day I will be able to say that I knew her way back when 🙂

    • During the darkest days of the last decade, I would think of what my previous financial adviser told me when I asked him about quitting my government job and hitting the open road. Paraphrasing: “It’s going to be tough. You’re going to be hungry. But I bet 10 years from now, your life is going to be incredible and you’ll be doing much better for yourself than if you’d stayed at your job.” He was psychic.

      As for knowing me when, augh, I got my 15 minutes of fame. No more! LOL

  5. Rae, may I use your taco seed picture – so funny. I love the horchatta – it was one of the first “water” drinks I tried.

    • This store frequently has funny signs — they get posted on my various FB groups periodically. But this is the best one!

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